All the council vehicles in Ukanafun claimed to have been repaired in mechanic workshops as contained in the handing over note submitted to the newly constituted transition committee were recovered last week in Uyo and other locations in Akwa Ibom.

The transition chairman of Ukanafun, Elder Israel Demas Ideh told TNN that after he was sworn into office, he had no official vehicle, as he was deceived in the handing over note that all the operational vehicles of the council were under repairs in various mechanic workshops in Akwa Ibom.

Not satisfied with the explanation, Ideh, a former staff of the state security service said he deployed some machineries to investigate the claims. Ideh said last week that he was alerted that an unknown driver drove the council Prado Jeep to Government House, Uyo and he (Ideh) quickly called Government house security to stop the car from going out from the government house while the driver and one occupant in the car were arrested by “A” division Police station in Uyo.

He said a pair of lady's shoes was found in the car when he ordered the car to be impounded at the police station for investigation.

Ideh further told TNN that he received phone calls from different influential people who pleaded that the drivers should be released.

He said when the embattled former chairman of the council, Abasiono Udomfu, now in prison custody, heard that the Prado Jeep had been impounded by the police, he quickly surrendered another Hyundai Jeep belonging to the council, which was still in his house at Uyo.

Ideh, in a chat with TNN said he was surprised at the level of deceit carefully crafted to divert government property to private use with impunity and applauded effort of the security personnel in Ukanafun for their tirelessness in maintaining peace in the area.

Ideh maintained that three of the recovered council vehicles have been sent to workshops for routine maintenance.

In the handing over note made available to TNN, the recovered vehicles were declared junk while some were purported to be at mechanic workshops for various degree of repairs.

In a telephone interview, the police public relations officer in Akwa Ibom, Bala Elkana, confirmed that the vehicles had been recovered from different politicians in the area and the matter would soon be charged to court.